Taiwan.

[MitchDudarko]

Thinking about going next year. We've done Thailand and Bali, and would like to go a bit further this time?
Where did you stay?
What did you do?
What was the average cost of things (Meals, Drinks etc)
Not looking for a party holiday just somewhere to go see the sights, and relax.
Cheers,
Mitch

 

[pyrosx]

Never been to Taiwain - but have done Thaliand and Bali.

I'd recommend Vietnam. Prices for anything are ridiculously cheap compared even to Thailand. Locals tend to be a little less "used" to tourists than the Thai - which can be a good thing, but can make some situations difficult.

Hoi An, in central vietnam, is the place to be. Beautiful "old town" area, jam packed with cheap-as tailors and shoemakers (and the quality is damn good, especially compared to the bangkok scene)... and there's a nice beach area 10 minutes away from the old town, perfect for laying around getting sunburnt. Nha Trang is a bit like the gold coast and probably not as nice - but the Louisiane Brewhouse is worth a mention in these circles - usually about 4 proper beers available - I remember their Irish Red being particularly nice.

Plus, it's nice and close to Cambodia - which is THE place to go if you're after "sites" - Angkor Wat is jaw-dropping.

 

[Blackapple]

Thinking about going next year. We've done Thailand and Bali, and would like to go a bit further this time?
Where did you stay?
What did you do?
What was the average cost of things (Meals, Drinks etc)
Not looking for a party holiday just somewhere to go see the sights, and relax.
Cheers,
Mitch

Used to live there and married a girl from there too.
Great country, get into the mountains and the east coast.
Taroko gorge is awesome.
Food is ridiculously cheap.
It can be hard to get around if you dont have any grasp of the language as once you get out of Taipei not many people speak english.
Try everything, some of the nastiest looking stuff is the best.

Cheers

 

[humulus]

Used to live there and married a girl from there too.
Great country, get into the mountains and the east coast.
Taroko gorge is awesome.
Food is ridiculously cheap.
It can be hard to get around if you dont have any grasp of the language as once you get out of Taipei not many people speak english.
Try everything, some of the nastiest looking stuff is the best.

Cheers
[/quote
:icon_offtopic: Blackapple are you able to make any xmas drinks????

 

[seemax]

I've traveled extensively through China, there are some really nice spots and plenty of crap ones. Good option if you want visit HK on the way. Jetstar fly to Beijing now.. pretty cheaply too. Food and basic hotels are super cheap. Learn a

India... far more unorganised.. harder to get around... far more scammers than China and elsewhere IMO. I'll be there again this weekend working.

Vietnam... have only heard great things, less touristy than Thailand / Bali / etc ... same goes for Cambodia and Laos.

Friends visited Sumatra last year, now there's an adventure for you

 

[stux]

I went to Taiwan for business.

Shangri-La in Tai Pei is the best hotel on the island, if that's your thing

We decided to go to the Lake Lalu resort for some R&R. Was like a honeymoon. Amazing

The best way to get up and down the island is on the high speed rail

 

[Blackapple]

[/quote
:icon_offtopic: Blackapple are you able to make any xmas drinks????
[/quote]
Does a frog have a watertight arse?

 

[Nick JD]

I lived there for a year. It's a dump.

Horrendously hot and humid and polluted all summer and then there's this weird FREEZING winter where it's 9C and raining for 2 months even though you're just by the tropics.

It rained for 55 (yup, I was counting) days in a row once.

The people are fully racist - which is weird when you're whitey - to be the subject of racism. They honestly believe that whitey is gullible because he trusts people.

It's crowded. And ugly. The cities look like stacked eggcrates.

The food is greasy shit that in no way resembles the "chinese" food (cantonese) we are accustomed to.

Taroko Gorge is cool - so is the SE Coast.

I've been to most of S and E Asia over the years for periods of time and could recommend so many places before Taiwan to visit.

 

[MitchDudarko]

Care to share then Nick?

 

[mckenry]

I know this wont help with Taiwan - but my wife & I have backpacked through the following of Asia
Ranked in Order of my Favourites.
1. Vietnam - We started up top in Hanoi & made our way down to Ho Chi Min City. Usual tourist spots - loved it all (2005)
2. Laos (2009)
3. Cambodia (2009)
4. Indonesia - Lombok (2010)
5. Thailand (2009 & 2011)
6. Indonesia - Bali (2010)

Have also heard average & poor revies of Taiwan. So food for thought only - but if nothing is in concrete - go see Vietnam before it gets 'Thailand-ed'

 

[Nick JD]

Care to share then Nick?

Places to visit in Asia, you mean? Depends what the aim is.

As an example - there are as many people in Taiwan as Australia, on an island smaller than Tassie. Great place to visit if you like spralling industrial cities ... but if you like Asian cities then HK or Singapore or Tokyo would be my advice.

If you like natural beauty and tropical paradise, you won't find that much of it in Taiwan. There is a little bit though, but it ain't the islands in the South China sea.

Most westerners visit Taiwan for business. There is virtually no western tourism - and this says a lot about the place.

What about Sri Lanka? Southern India? Maldives? Malaysia? Vietnam? Borneo? PNG? Philippenes? Southern China? Okinawa? Micronesia?